Mom's Birthday Book

Mom's Birthday Book - Page Text Content

S: A Celebration of Steph

FC: You're the best and we'd be lost with out you........literally Love, Your Darling Children | A CELEBRATION OF STEPH: 60 Years in the Making

1: August 11, 2011 Dearest Mom, We wanted to show you how much we love you by putting together this book of memories for your 60th birthday. While we worked hard, this book won't be able to express how very much we truly appreciate you and everything you do for us. Happy birthday mom, we hope you enjoy your day! Love, Rob, Sarah, Matt, Tom, and Patrik

4: Mom and Rob: Finding artistic things to do since '82.

7: Steph, I love you. You're the bomb. I'm lucky to call you my mom. You stuck with me when times went wrong. You said to keep keeping on.. Thank you.. For every thing you do. Happy Birthday. Love, Rob

8: Mom and Sarah: Taking control of the floor since 1984

11: Dear Mom, For your birthday I thought I’d take a page out of your book and write an epic poem. I intended to rhyme, use witty phrasing, while the whole time incorporating humorous, yet personal anecdotes to make the poem really special. Turns out that while you have passed down many amazing character traits on to me, being poetic simply isn’t one of them (even thought I gave it several valiant tries). After many revisions and lots of thinking, I decided that there really isn’t any one way for me to explain all the wonderful things about you. But, in this fabulous bday book, I’m going to give it a shot. Mom, you truly are one of the most patient, considerate, and selfless people I know. I am constantly amazed by your never-ending ability to give more: whether it’s to your family, friends, or complete strangers like kids in Newark or girls in Sierra Leone. You work so hard, never complaining, always putting in 120%. Your dedication in doing the best possible job, from building replicas of Dante’s inferno or making sure I Swiffer correctly, is admirable. Further proof of your drive for success is found in the fact that you hold the highest GPA in the family, and are our sole valedictorian. Some may find your perfection annoying, but not me. You are my role model, someone I strive to be like every single day. Even with all of this on your plate, you still find the time to be there for each and every one of us. You would shift the world if it meant helping one of us, and I can’t begin to tell you how lucky I am to have you in my life. You are our biggest cheerleader, encouraging us to take risks and become better people. By holding and guiding us towards the highest of expectations you have turned us into compassionate people with strong character. There couldn’t be a better teacher to lead by example. You are an amazing mother and person. I love you so much, and I hope that you have a wonderful birthday. Love, Sarah

12: Mom and Matt: In the mix since '86

15: Mom, You are truly an angel. Throughout the years you have done so many things for me that putting them all to paper would take an eternity. While you could probably knock out a couple off the top of your head, I doubt you are able to name the little things, the one timers, the non daily oddities, or in other words the ones that have impacted me the most....here are a couple things that I have been meaning to tell you but could never find the time or place. What better time than your birthday to show you some love. Here goes: - I'm truly sorry for that fateful day I took you down at USA skate...to this day I feel pangs of guilt every time you say your back hurts...this is likely all my fault but you are far too sweet to ever put that blame on me. Even more so, the fact that you ever let me get back on skates simply amazes me...it is just another testament to the wonderful human being that you are - Thank you for buying me husky jeans as a kid and convincing me it was because of my 'athletic frame'. At the time, I believed it. The truth would have been devastating - Thank you for letting the team watch the shower scene of Starship Troopers in our hockey tournament hotel room. As an outsider of the town, and a new member to the hockey club, you instantly made me the coolest kid on the team - Thank you for the blockbuster video & 7/11 nights with the Cranford boys. It was these times when a group of guys went from good buddies to great friends as we watched movies, pounded slurpees and pondered the mysterious ways of the woman in the basement of 'Pangia North' - Thank you my lunches in High School...I have eaten in some of the best restaurants NYC has to offer but not one of them has a plate that can compare to a sandwich with brown sauce, toasted just right and made with motherly love - Thank you for dealing with me during my first two years of work...whether it was talking me off the ledge or preventing a mass murder, you were always there when I needed you - Finally, I want to say I am sorry...I am sorry for setting that fire in the tire swing in the backyard of Watchung. I still feel terrible about this brief lapse in judgement...I know that Chris O feels the same way. Feels good to get that one of my chest!!! But on a serious note, today we celebrate the birthday of a truly miraculous person, you. Happy Birthday and I love you with all my heart, Matteo

16: Mom and Tom: Dancin' so great since '88

19: A Haiku to Mom Thanks for all you've done. Kind, caring, smile bright as the sun. Energy and Love Mom, Thanks so much for everything you've done for me. I want to say how lucky I am to have a person like you in my life.. You are always there for me and would do anything for me. You're an incredible person, and we love you. Today, we celebrate you! Enjoy your Bday Love, TBone

20: Mom and Patrik: The family's nerdy picks since 2006

21: Happy Birthday Steph, Its hard to express how much you mean to me in just a few short lines on a piece of paper (but I’m going to try anyway). You are the rock that holds the Pangia, and now part of the Johansson family together. You have become so much more to me than a mother-in-law. I remember my first Easter by myself in the garden state, when Sarah had left to go visit Matt in China. You invited me to come stay with you in Watchung so I wouldn’t have to spend it alone. I don’t think I ever told you just how much it meant to me that you made me part of the family that weekend and how grateful I was for that. Or your effort in embracing my crazy Swedish traditions of potatoes, more potatoes, and some more potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Or even going to Swedish communities to learn about the Lucia traditions. I am truly lucky to have such a great mother-in-law!!!! They say that the greatest testament to a person's character is how they affect the people around them. If that’s the case then you are one of the best; Rob, Sarah, Matt and Tom are some of the most honest and nicest people I have ever meet and I am honored to be their brother and Sarah’s husband. Happy 60th Birthday and I am looking forward to many more! Your son-in-law who will ALWAYS cut his spaghetti, Patrik

22: Look how we have changed over the years.......

26: But we aren't the only ones who have changed...... Steph and Bob: As happy as can be since 1973